Friday, October 26, 2012

Composite 16 - Isaiah 63:15-64:5, 8-9 (Vespers, 1st reading)

1

Turn, O Lord, from heaven, and look from Thy holy habitation and Thy glory. Where are Thy zeal and Thy strength? Where is the multitude of Thy mercies and Thy compassions that Thou hast endured for us? For Thou art our Father, because Abraham has not known us, nor has Israel known us. But do Thou, O Lord, our Father, deliver us; from the beginning Thy name has been on us. Why hast Thou turned us aside, O Lord, from Thy ways, and made hard our hearts that we should not fear Thee? Return for the sake of Thy servants, for the sake of the tribes of Thine inheritance, that, at least, we may inherit a small part of Thy holy mountain. Our adversaries have trodden down Thy sanctuary. We have become as at the beginning when Thou didst not rule over us, and Thy name was not called upon us.

2

If Thou wouldst open the heavens, trembling would take hold of the mountains from Thee, and they would melt; like wax melts before the fire. And fire shall burn up the enemies, and Thy name shall be made manifest to Thine adversaries; the nations shall be troubled at Thy presence. When Thou shalt do glorious things, trembling shall take hold of the mountains from Thee. From the ages we have not heard, nor have our eyes seen a God beside Thee, or Thy works which Thou shalt perform for them that wait for mercy. For mercy joins them that work righteousness, and they shall remember Thy ways.

3

And now, O Lord, Thou art our Father, and we are clay; Thou art our Fashioner and all of us are the work of Thy hands. Be not very angry with us, O Lord, and remember not our sins for ever; but now look on us, for we are all Thy people.

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The New King James Version text of the New Testament is provided courtesy of the Thomas Nelson Publishing Company for use only on the web site of The Orthodox Church in America.

The Orthodox Church in America

The Mission of The Orthodox Church in America, the local autocephalous Orthodox Christian Church, is to be faithful in fulfilling the commandment of Christ to “Go into all the world and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit…”